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Personal Branding for Introverts, Without the Anxiety

We recently read an interesting post on how introverts can put themselves and their personal brand "out there" in a world built for extroverts - social media is one great tool.

The article mentions that shyness and introversion are different phenomenon, with shyness being more associated with fear of judgment and introversion relating to an individual’s preference for quieter, less stimulating environments.

If you are the latter, this article highlights the importance of learning to be yourself but also how to navigate the world of social networking and personal brand building.

Excerpt of post by Dorie Clark:

I had just finished a talk at a leading technology company when an engineer approached me. “I liked your ideas about personal branding, and I can see how they’d work,” he told me. “But most of them aren’t for me — I’m an introvert. Is there anything I can do?” What he didn’t realize is that like an estimated one-third to one-half of the population I’m one, too.

Despite the common misperception that all introverts are shy, and vice versa, they’re two very different phenomena. Author and introversion expert Susan Cain defines shyness as “the fear of negative judgment,” while introversion is “a preference for quiet, minimally stimulating environments.” I actually like giving talks to large groups that day, there were 180 people in the room and another 325 watching online. I’m happy to mingle and answer questions afterward. But at a certain point, I’ve learned through experience, I have to get away and go somewhere by myself.